Shoveling machine



H. B. DENNIS.

SHOVELING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1919.

Patented May 2 1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET H. B. DENNIS.

'SHOVELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 191a.

Patented May 2, 1922.

6 SHEETSSHEET 2.

H. B. DENN|S'..

SHOVELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1919-.

Patented. May 2, 1922;

6 SHEETSSHEET 3.

H. B. DENN|S.

SHOVELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 1. l9l9.

Patented. May 2, 1922.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

H. B. DENNIS.

SHOVELING MACHINE. 7 APPLICATION FILED MAY I, 1919.

, 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

H'. B. DENNIS. SHOVELING MACHINE. APPLICATION mzn MAYI, 1910.

Patented May 2, 1922,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD B. DENNIS, or (mass ALLEY; CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO FREDERICK w. NOBS AND ONE-FOURTH '10 GEORGE w. STARR, BOTH or GRASS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

SHOVELING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1922.

Application filed May 1, 1919. Serial No. 295,202.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD B. DENNIS, a citizen of the United States, residin at Grass Valley, Nevada County, State of alifornia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Shoveling Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in shoveling machines wherein a plurality of pivotally suspended fingers operate in conjunction with a reciprocating chute; and the objects of my improvement are First, to provide an improved shoveling machine; I

Second, to provide an improved device of the character described having improved means for resiliently cushioning the machine against reaction, said means being also adapted to be operated to swing the machine laterally to increase its effective working radius;

Third, to provide an improved device of the type set forth adapted to move a substantially constant stream of material;

Fourth, to provide an improved device of thecharacter described which is adapted to shovel material from. a pile or from the ground andconvey the same into a car or other suitable receptacle;

Fifth, to provide improved means for raking material from a pile into the shoveling radius of the machine; and

Sixth, to provide an improved scraping element in the form of a plurality of pivot ally suspended fingers arranged to be so operated that a substantially constant stream of material may be moved along a chute when the fingers are moved in one direction and the material being freed from said fingers when the direction of movement of the fingers is reversed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken plan View of the shoveling mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5715 of Fig. 4 in the direction indicated; an

'Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken plan view of the digging element on the front end of the conveyor chute.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure l, but

' indicating the paths of movement of certain of the parts.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate a suitable truck upon which is pivotally mounted a frame 2 by means of a suitable king pin 3. A subframe 4 at the rear end of the frame 2 is provided to support any suitable motor 6.

The main frame 2 comprises two longitudinally disposed members upon which is mounted a shaft 7 provided with two pairs of eccentrics 8 and 9. j

A shaft 12 is mounted to reciprocate within two guides 14 in turn mounted upon the upper surface of the main frame 2 as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

The guides 14 are normally held in position by means of bolts 17 which pass through the main frame 2 and are provided at their upper ends with suitable nuts 18. Springs 19 are interposed between thenuts 18 and the tops of the guides 14 so that said guides are resiliently held to the frame 2, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

A pair of members 21 are ournaled on the pair of eccentrics 8 at their inner ends and extend forward to the front ends of the frame 2. The members 21 are provided with a plurality of laterally disposed pivots 22 on which are swingingly suspended crank arms 23 having depending portions 25 arranged in spaced relation and joined at their lower ends by means of a bar 24, and rear- ,wardly extending portions that normally ,rest on the next adjacent bar 22 between the members 21, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully described.

The depending portions 25 are further provided with pivots 27 arranged parallel to and slightly above the bars 24 from which bars 27 are pivotally suspended a plurality of teeth28 as disclosed in Fig.

5 of the drawings.

The teeth 28 are held by gravity against the bar 241 so that said teeth 28 may swing in one direction only.

A digging or shovel member in the form of a chute 31 is provided with a pair of diverging arms 32 which are pivotally journalled on the second pair of eccentrics 9 upon the shaft 7. The forward end of the chute 31 is provided with teeth 33. The forward end of the chute 31 is pivotally suspended from the front ends of the members of the main frame 2 by means of adjustable links 34: so that when the shaft 7 is rotated the eccentrics 9 will reciprocate said chute 31 and teeth 33 on the forward end of said chute.

A pick and raking element 36 is pivotally mounted upon the front ends of the members 21 and is similar in construction and arrangement to the depending portions 25 of the cranks 23 and likewise provided with pivotally suspended teeth 37 limited in their rearward movement by means of a stop bar or lug 38 as disclosed in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The upper end of the pick and raking element 36 is pivotally connected to the front end of a bar 39 whose opposite end is also pivotally connected to a lever or arm 1-1 in turn fulcrumed on the shaft. This shaft 12 also pivotally supports the members 21 at a point in front of their mountings on the pair of eccentrics 8. A' second link 43 is connected to the bar 39 and to the arms 32 of the chute 31 as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

As the eccentrics 8 and 9 are diametrically opposed it is evident that when the shaft 7 is rotated the chute 31 and members 21, with their pivotally suspended teeth 28, will be moved in opposite directions.

The main frame 2 is also provided with a second snb'fra-me 46 which is supported by a pair of wheels 17 on an axle 18. A conveyor, 51, loosely mounted upon the shaft or axile 18 is' inclined from the rear end of the chute 31, upwardly and rearwardly to a shaft 52 provided with a distending device 53 and a driving sprocket 541. The shaft 52 is rotatably mounted within the upper portion of a super-frame 55 mounted upon the rear end of the main frame 2.

A sprocket chain 56 connects the sprocket with a shaft 57 which is in turn connected with the motor 6 by means of a chain drive 58. v

Chains 59 connect the shaft 57 with the shaft 7 upon which the diametrically opposed eccentrics 8 and}? are mounted.

A suitable friction disedrive, indicated at 61 in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is provided between the chain drive 58 and the shaft 57 to relieve the motor of undue resistance on the part of the excavating and scraping elements as represented by the teeth 28 and the chute 31.

Universally connected to the second subframe 46 are a pair of piston stems 62 provided with pistons, not shown, slidably mounted within cylinders 63 each provided with a sharpened spur 6st and a compressed air connection 66 to a source of compressed air not shown.

In operation the machine is moved along the tracks or rails 70 manually or by introducing compressed air in equal quantities to the cylinders 63 when the spurs 64. thereof are firmly braced as disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, until the machine has been moved to the required location.

The motor 6, which may be of any suitable type or design, is then started to rotate the shafts, 7, 52 and 57 which willcause the conveyor 51 to be actuated and the operation of the eccentrics 8 and 9 will reciprocate the chute 31 and cause the members 21, with the teeth 28 pivotally suspended therefrom, to move in opposite directions to said chute.

That is to say, when the chute 31 with its teeth 33 on the front end thereof, is moving toward and digging into a pile of material to be shoveled, the teeth 28 are moving in the opposite direction and scraping previously excavated material along the chute 31" and onto the conveyor 51 which conveyor 51 elevates and conveys the said material into a mine car 75, or the like, "a broken portion of which is disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings. V

The continued rotation of the eccentrics 8 and 9 reverses the movement of the chute and teeth. In this phase of. the operation, the chute moves rearwardly while the teeth move forwardly but during such forward movement, by reason of the pivotal mounting of the l are 25 on the reciprocating shaft 12, the portions of said bars in advance of the shaft 12 and the teeth 26 with. them are elevated and will thus be disengaged from the material and pass thereover. Should the lower ends of any of the teeth strike a lump, obviously it can freelyswing to pass the same. Upon the completion of the forard stroke the teeth move downwardly into the material and again coactwith the chute as the latteradvances, thereby effecting the movement of the material along said chute. Their paths therefore are curved and Y ward and forward movement much on the order of a pick in the hands of a wor man.

, Therefore it acts to initially break down and loosen the pile to permit the front end of the chute to enter the same.

The machine may be held to the work by the pneumatic buffers comprising the cylinders 63 and the piston stems 62 universally connected to the second subframe 16 of the main frame 2, and as the adjacent portion of the pile of material is excavated and removed the said buffers may be actuated to move the. entire machine forward to retain the same in an operative position in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

Should any rock or boulder of excessive size be encountered by the excavating element or the front ends of the members 21 the elevation of said members to clear the obstruction and to absorb the shock is permitted by the provision of the springs 19 which normally hold the guides 14: to their normal positions.

Asthe rod 39 is pivotally connected to the shaft 12 of the members 21 and also, by

means of the link 43, and arms 32, to the chute 31, it is evident that a greater raking movement will be imparted to the teeth 3'! than to the teeth 28 for the further reason that as said chute 31 moves in one direction the shaft 12 and members 21 are moving in the opposite direction, the combined magnitude of both movements tending to increase the magnitude of the movement of said teeth Therefore a raking movement willfbe imparted to the teeth 37 which will cause said teeth to engage the pile of material and rake the same onto the excavating element,

' comprising: the teeth 38, and the chute 31.

In order to increase the lateral working .radius of the machine, the pneumatic buffers are placedtransversely to the frame and an equal quantity of compressed air admitted to both cylinders 63 through the connections o6 which action vwill raise the slightly flanged wheels 47 clear of the rails 70. W hen in this position a. difference of compression in the cylinders 63 will partially rotate the frame 2 on theking pin 3 and place the forward or working end of the machine in the required location, the buffers meanwhile being placed in a position to advantageously and resiliently cushion, the machine and hold the same in contact withthe material to be excavated. U 1 i It is obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improvedshoveling machine wherein material may be excavated and elevated and conveyeo into a suitable means for giving said member a back and forth movement, a scraping member operating over the digging member, and means for causing the scraper member to move simultaneously in an opposite direction to the digging member and towards and from said digging member.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a digging member, of means for giving said member a back and forth movement, a scraping member including a supporting element and devices carried thereby and coacting with the digging memher, and means for causing both a swinging and a longitudinal movement of the supporting element.

In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a digging member, of means for giving said member a back and forth movement, a scraping member including a supporting element and devices carried thereby and coacting with the digging mem her, and means for causing both a swinging movement of the supporting element and its longitudinal movement in an opposite direction to the direction of movement of the shovel member.

l. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a supporting frame, of a digging member movably mounted on the supporting frame, means for giving said digging member a back and forth movement, a shaft mounted to move back and forth on the frame, a swinging arm pivoted on the shaft, scrapers carried by the arm and operating over the digging member, and means for swinging the digging member back and forth and causing the arm to swing on the shaft and said shaft to move back and forth. 5. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a supporting frame, of a shovel member hung therefrom to move back and forth, a shaft transversely slidable on the frame, an arm pivoted on and movable with the shaft, rake fingers pivoted on the arm and operating over the shovel, and oppositely disposed eccentrics connected to the shovel member and arm for effecting their opposite movements.

6. A shoveling machine comprising an inclined conveyor; a chute having a digging element on one end thereof and arranged to discharge material from the opposite end of said chute onto said conveyor; a scraping element movably mounted adjacent the.

chute having a digging element arranged on,

one end thereof; a scraping'element movably mounted over the chute; means for moving the chute and scraping elements in opposite directions whereby the scraping element may be actuated to move material along the chute; and a rake pivotally mounted upon the end of the scraping ele ment and operatively connected to the'chute and adapted to rake material onto the digging element on the end of the chute.

8. A shoveling machine comprising a chute having a digging element arranged on one end thereof; a scraping element movably mounted over the chute; means for reciprocating thechute and scraping elements in opposite directions whereby the scraping element may be actuated to move material along the chute; a rake pivotally mounted upon the end of the scraping element and operatively connected to the chute and adapted to rake material onto the digging element on the end of the chute; and an inclined conveyor arranged to receive material from the chute and to convey and discharge said material at an elevator.

9. A shoveling machine comprising a chute having a digging element on end thereof; a scraping element movably mounted; means for moving the digging and scraping elements in opposite directions; and a rake pivotally connected to the scraping element and operatively connected to the chute and actuated by the opposite movements of said members to rake material onto the chute.

10. A shoveling machine comprising a chute having a digging element on one end thereof; a scraping element movably mounted over the chute and the digging element; means for moving the chute and scraping elements in opposite directions whereby matcrial excavated by the digging element may be scraped along the chute by the scraping element; and pneumatic buffers operatively connected to each side of the chute and scraping element to cushion said elements against movement away from the material being shoveled said buffers being independently operable to raise and move said members laterally. I

11. A shoveling machine comprising a frame; a chute pivotally suspended at one end from the frame and provided with a digging member on the end thereof; a scrap- 7 ing element slidably and pivotally mounted upon the frame and over the chute; and means for moving the chute and scraping element in opposite directions whereby material excavated by the digging member may be scraped along the chute.

12. A shoveling machine comprising a frame; a chute pivotally suspended at one end from the frame and provided with a ligging member on the end thereof; a scrapng element slidably and pivotally mounted upon the frame and over the chute; and means for moving the chute and scraping element in opposite directions whereby material excavated by the digging member may be scraped along the chute.

13. A shoveling machine comprising a frame; a chute pivotally suspended at one end. from the frame and provided with a digging member on the end thereof; a scraping element slidably and pivotally mounted upon the frame and over the chute; means for moving the chute and scraping element in opposite directions whereby material excavated by the digging member may be scraped along the chute; and pneumatic buffers pivotally connected to the frame and arranged to move the forward end of the frame and the scraping element and the chute laterally to increase the operating range of the machine.

14. A shoveling machine comprising a frame; a chute pivotally suspended at one end from the frame and provided with a digging member on the end thereof; a scraping element slidably and pivotally mounted upon the frame and over the chute; means for moving the chute and scraping element in opposite directions whereby material eX- cavated by the digging member may be scraped along the chute; and an inclined conveyer mounted within the frame and arranged to receive and elevate material from the chute.

15. A shoveling machine comprising a frame; a chute pivotally suspended at one end from the frame and provided with a digging member on the end thereof; a scraping element slidably and pivotally mounted upon the frame and over the chute; means for moving the chute and scraping element in opposite directions whereby material excavated by the digging member may be scraped along the chute; and a rake pivotally mounted upon the outer end of the scraping element and operatively connected to the chute and actuated by the opposite movements of the chute and scraping elements to rake material onto the digging element on the chute. r

16. A shoveling machine comprising a truck; a frame pivotally mounted'upon the truck; a chute pivotally suspended from the frame and provided with a digging element on one end thereof; a scraping element slidably and pivotally mounted upon the frame and over the chute; means for moving the scraping element and the chute in opposite directions whereby material excavated by the digging element may be scraped along the chute; and pneumatic'bulfers operatively connected on each side of the frame to cushion the chute and digging elements against reaction and to slightly elevate the free end of the frame and rotate the same on the truck to increase the working radius of the chute and scraping element.

17. A shoveling machine comprising a truck; a frame pivotally mounted upon the truck; a chute pivotally' suspended from the frame and provided with a digging element on one end thereof; a scraping element slidably and pivotally mounted upon the frame and. over the chute; means for moving the scraping element and the chute in opposite directions whereby material excavated by the digging element maybe scraped along the chute; pneumatic buffers operatively connected on each side of the frame to cushion the chute and digging elements against reaction and to slightly elevate the free endof the frame and rotate the same on the truck to increase the working radius of the chute and scraping element; and a conveyor mounted within the frame and arranged to receive and elevate material from the chute.

18. A shoveling machine comprising a chute having. a digging element on one end thereof; a plurality of scraping fingers pivotally suspended above the chute; means for moving the fingers andv chute in opposite directions; and means for holding the fingers against movement when said fingers are moved in one direction only whereby material may be moved by said fingers along the chute when reciprocated- I 197 A shoveling machine I comprising a pivotally mounted frame; a chute pivotally suspended at its outer end from the frame and provided with a digging element at said outer end; a pair of members pivotally and slidably mounted. within the frame and over the chute; a plurality of fingers pivotally suspended from the members and depending toward said chute; means for holding the fingers against pivotal movement when moved in one direction only whereby said fingers may operate to move material along the chute when a reciprocating movement is imparted to the members; and means for moving the members and the chute in opposite directions. I

20. A shoveling machine comprising a pivotally mounted frame; a chute pivotally suspended at its outer end from the frame and provided with a digging element at said outer end; a pair of members pivotally nd slidably mounted within the frame and over the chute; a plurality of fingers pivotally suspended from the members and depending toward said chute; means for holding the fingers against pivotal movement when moved in one direction only whereby said fingers may operate to move material along the chute when a reciprocating movement is imparted to the members; means for moving the members and the chute in opposite directions; and means for moving the free end of the frame and the chute and members thereon laterally to increase the working radius of said members.

'21. A shoveling machine comprising a pivotally mounted frame; a chute pivotally suspended at its outer end from the frame and provided with a digging element at said outer end; a pair of members pivotally and slidably mounted within the frame and over the chute; a plurality of fingers .pivotally suspended from the members and depending toward said chute;'1neans for holding the fingers against pivotal movement when movedin one direction only wherebysaid fingers may operate to move material along the chute when a reciprocating movement is imparted to the members; means for moving the members and the chute in opposite direc tions; and a rake pivotally mounted upon tie outer ends of the members and oper atively connected to the chute whereby the opposite movement of said members and chute will operate the rake toralte material onto the chute.

22. A shoveling machine comprising a pivotally mounted frame; a chute pivotaily suspended at: its outer end from the frame and provided with a digging element at said outer end; a pair of members pivotally and slidably mounted within the frame and over the chute; a pluralityof fingers pivotally suspended from the members and depending toward said chute; meansfor holding the fingers against pivotal movement when moved in one direction only whereby said fingers may operate to move material along the chute when a reciprocating movement imparted to the members; means for moving the members and'the chute in opposite directions; and a rake pivotaliy mounted upon the outer ends of the IllQIIllJt-EYS and operatively connected to the chute \vhcreb fthe opposite movement of said members and chute will operate the rake to rake material onto tl e chute; and a conveyor mounted within the frame and arranged to receive and elevate material from the chute.

23. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a material receiving member, of material-moving means that op erates thereover, and means operating in advance of the receiving member and materialmoving means and movable with relation to both for dislodging the material from the pile being operated on.

24. In apparatus of the, character set forth, the combination with a material-receiving member, of material-moving means that operates thereover, and means movably mounted on and movable with the material-moving means for dislodging the material from the pile being operated on. said dislodging means being located in advance of the material-moving means.

25. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a shovel member, of a scraper member that operates thereover, a pick element movably mounted on the front end of the scraper member and movable therewith, and means for giving the pick element a movement with respect to the scraper member during the movement of the latter.

26. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a shovel member, of a scraper member that operates thereover, a pick element pivoted on the front end of the scraper member and movable therewith, and means connected to the shovel member and to thescraper member for swinging the pick on the scraper member during the movement of the latter.

27. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a supporting frame, of a shovel member movably mounted thereon, a scraper member movably mounted over the shovel member, means for causing an up and down and a forward and back movement of the scraper member and a back and forth movement of the shovel member, a pickelement pivoted on the advance end of the scraper member, and link mechanism pivotally connected to the shovel and scraper members for effecting the movement of the pick element on the scraper member.

28. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a supporting frame, of a shovel member movably mounted thereon, a scraper member movably mounted over the shovel member, means for causing an up and down and a forward and back movement of the scraper member and a back and forth movement of the shovel member, a pick element pivoted on the advance end of the scraper member, a link pivoted to the upper end of the pick element, a swinging link con nection between the said link and the scraper member mounting, and a link connectin the shovel member and the first mentioned link.

29. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a supporting frame, of a movable shovel member, a movable scraper member that operates thereover, oppositely disposed eccentrics, means actuated by the eccentrics for respectively moving the shovel and scraper members, a pick element movably mounted on the advance end of the scraper member, and means connected to the actuating means of the members for moving the pick element on the scraper member. I

30; In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a supporting frame, of a movable shovel member, a movable scraper member that operates thereover, oppositely disposed eccentrics, means actuated by the eccentrics for respectively moving the shovel and scraper members, a pick element pivotally mounted on the advance. end of the scraper member, a link connected to the pick element, and links pivotally connected to said link and to the actuating means for the shovel and scraper members for swinging the pick element on the scraper member.

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

HOWARD DENNIS. 

